Gar-coupling



(No'ModeL). 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. O. SHAW.

GAR COUPLING.

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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

W. G. SHAW.

GAR COUPLING. No. 425,189. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

H I HMIEIIEIIIN W/TNESSES" d/Tw W 215221507; aka/(aw UNITED STATES PATENT Crrrcn.

\VILLIAM COLUMBUS SHAWV, OF \VI-IITE PLAINS, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PETER IV. HAWKINS, OF SAME PLACE, AND ERASMUS G. BOIV-LING, OF AQUASCO, MARYLAND.

GAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,189, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed February I, 1890- Serial No. 338,946. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM COLUMBUS SHAW, of \Vhite Plains, in the county of Charles and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention is an improvement in car-couplings seeking to provide a simple and strong construction of coupler which will couple automatically and which may be readily uncoupled from either side of the car without the necessity of any one going between the cars at any time.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

I11 the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 an end view, of a part of one end of a car provided with my improvements. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of two drawheads constructed and coupled according to my invention. Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the draw-heads. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the latch plate.

The draw-head A may in practice be secured to the car in any suitable manner. It has in its front end a link-mortise b to receive a coupling-link, which may be held by the ordinary coupling-pin B; 011 one side of such link-mortise I connect with the drawhead the coupling-rod C for engaging a meeting-coupler, while on the opposite side of such link-mortise I provide a slot F for receiving the coupling-rod of the meeting coupling and latch devices for holding such coupling-rod in said engagement.

In specifically describing the coupling-rod C it may be said to have a ball or enlargement C on its rear end, such ball C being threaded on the rod, the latter being passed rearwardly into a flared recess C in the drawhead and through an opening C at the rear end of such recess and threaded into connection with ball C, the rod projecting slightly in rear of the ball and having its extremity rounded and bearing against a wall a of the draw-head, as shown. This ball construction or enlargement serves to secure the couplingrod loosely to the draw-head, so that the front end thereof may play up, down, and laterally. To balance this rod and secure it normally horizontal, or approximately so, I provide a balancing-spring E. This spring might be simply a steel rod held rigidly at one end to the draw-head and entering at its other end a socket in the rear end of the c0up1ing-rod,in which case the wall a of the draw-head .pre- Viously described might be dispensed with or provided with an opening for the said steel rod to playing but I prefer to arrange the spring as shown to support such'coupling-rod in advance of the point where it is held to the draw-head.

In the construction shown the spring is a rod secured at one end to the draw-head and at its opposite end to the coupling-rod, preferably by a ring a bent around such rod, a suitable groove or way C for such ring being cut in the walls of recess Ci. It is also preferred to coil the spring to give the same greater elasticity, to which end the said spring may be seated in a cavity E in the draw-head and coiled helically therein, as shown. At its outer end the coupling-rod is provided with a head C rounded and made slightly oval 011 its point, as shown. On the opposite side of the link-mortise from the coupling-rod I provide a slot F, open at one end and made sufficiently large to receive the coupling-rod when moved sidewise therewith from its open end. At its front face the mouth of the draw-head inclines rearwardly toward the outer open end of slot F, such mouth being preferably flared vertically at f 8 5 and laterally at f toward the open end of the slot.

It will be seen that I make the head C of the coupling-rod larger than the slot F, so that when the head C of a meeting coupling 0 is forced into the mouth of a draw-head it will be directed by the flared construction of such month to the open end of the slot F, and when such rod passes sidewise into slot F, with its head C in rear of such slot, the coupling will be effected.

To enable'the convenient coupling and uncoupling of the coup1ing-rod,I provide thelatch-plate G, sliding transversely in guides g in rear of the slot F, and provided with an opening G to receive the head of a meeting coupling, with a forwardly-projected bearin g portion or flange G at its outer end, and with an opening G to lit over the ball 0, so that in their movements the said ball and latchplate will not interfere with each other. It will be noticed that the bearing portion Gr serves in the retracted position of the latchplate to close the open end of slot F and serve as a keeper to retain the couplingrod there- 111. This portion I also extends forward and 1s flared or inclined on its inner face .to receive the bearing and pressure of the head of the entering coupling-rod, so that the said head may force the latch-plate laterally ontward until its opening "1' passes outside of the open end of the slot, when the said head passes in rear of the open end of slot F, onters the opening G, and is drawn by the latch plate aided by the spring which supports the coupling-rod, sidewise in rear of the opening F, the coupling-rod passing into the slot F and the head in rear thereof, so that the rod will beheld from endwise movement out of the draw-head.

The latch-plate, it will be seen, is springaetuated, being acted upon by spring II, which tends to draw the latch-plate inward to cause its bearing portion G to close the open end of the slot I and yet permits such latch-plate to be forced outward to permit the coupling and uncouplingof the cars. Bypreference this sprln g is arranged, as shown, to exert its influence on the operating-bar I, which is connected with the latch-plate by simply passing through 1t, 111 order that the draw-head may play to and fro, and extends from side to side of the car, being movable longitudinally in suitable guides, and may be drawn upon at one side of the car or pushed from the opposite side to move the latch-plate to uncoupled position, and where desired a suitable catch mechan- 18111 may be provided to hold the said plate in uncoupled position, as may be useful when the cars of a train are pushed up together and it is desired to uncouple the several cars or any two thereof, so that they will be de tache'd when the train draws out.

By threading the coupling-rod into its ball 0 the application of the parts is rendered convenient, and it may be preferred to make the head C and the ball 0 with sockets or openings, as shown, to receive metal rods or wrench-handles, so that the rod and ball 0 can be easily detached at will.

By reason of: the link-mortise and pin the draw-head may be coupled with an ordinary draw-head by the usual link.

In the coupling of two draw-heads constructed according to my invention each of said draw-heads is provided with a couplingrod the heads of which enter and are secured by the opposing draw-head when the parts are brought together, the securing of the coupling-rod heads being more fully described hereinbefore. It will be seen that it one sliding latch-block provided at one side with I a forwardly-projected flange or bearing-plate, substantially as set forth. i

The draw-head having a slot adapted to receive the coupling-rod and open at one end,

whereby said rod may he slipped thereinto and the latch-plate movably supported in rear of said slot, and having an opening to receive the head of said coupling-rod and a portion by which to keep said head in rear of the slot in the coupled position of the parts, substantially as set forth. I

4. In the herein-described coupling, the draw-head having a slot to receive the coupling-rod, which slot opens at one end, and having its front Wall inclined rearwardly to ward such open end of the slot, whereby to guide the coupling-rod thereinto, substantially as set forth.

5. In a car-coupling, the draw-head provided with a slot open at one end and adapted to receive the coupling-rod, and having its front wall or mouth flared vertically and laterally toward the open end of the slot, whereby .to direct the head of the coupling-rod thereto, substantially as set forth.

6. In the herein-described coupling, the combination of the draw-head having a slot open at one end and arranged to receive the coupling-rod, the sliding latch-plate arranged in rear of said slot, having an opening fitted to receive the head of such rod, and provided with a portion arranged to close the open end of the slot in the coupled position of the parts, such plate being movable, whereby its said opening may be adjusted directly in rear of or out beyond the said slot, substantially as set forth.

7 In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head, the coupling-rod held thereto, and the latch-plate adapted to secure the coupling-rod of a meeting draw-head, substantially as set forth.

8. In the herein-described coupling, the combination of the draw-head, the couplingrod held loosely thereto, and a spring for balancing such coupling-rod, substantially as set forth.

9. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head having a slot to receive the coup ICC IIO

ling-rod of a meeting coupler, a coupling-rod held in said draw-head and having an'enlargement or ball on its rear end, and the latchplate having a slot or opening to fit over said ball and provided with an opening to receive the head on the coupling-rod of the meeting coupler, substantially as set forth.

10. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draW-head'having a slot open at one end and adapted to receive the coupling-rod, the sliding latch-plate having an opening to receive the head of said rod and a portion to close the open end of the said slot, and a spring for actuatin the latch-plate, substantially as set forth.

ll. The combination, with the draw-head and the sliding latch-plate for securing the head of the meeting coupling-rod, of the spring for actuating such plate and the bar 'by which to operate the said plate, substantially as set forth.

'12. In a car-coupling, the combination of the dra\v-head, the coupling-rod held at its rear end loosely to said drawhead, and a spring secured at one end to the draw-head coiled between its ends and connected at its opposite end With the coupling-rod at a point in advance of the connection of the couplingrod with the draw-head, substantially as set forth.

13. In the herein-described coupling, the combination of the draw-head, the couplingrod held at its rear end loosely in said drawhead, and the spring supporting said rod in advance of its said rear end, substantially as set forth.

14. The improved car-coupling herein described, consisting of the draw-head having centrally a link-mortise and a pin to secure such link, having on one side of the link-mortise a coupling-rod to engage a meeting coupling, such rod being provided at its rear end With a ball or enlargement by which it is held loosely to the draw-head, and a spring for supporting such coupling-rod, and having'on the opposite side of its link-mortise a slot to receive the coupling-rod of a meeting coupler, and the latch-plate, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

WVIL LIAM COLUMBUS SHAY".

\Vitnesses:

JOHN H. MITCHELL, R0131. I. DIGGES. 

